Claim OwnershipEverything But The Carbon Sink
Subscribed: 0Played: 1
Subscribe
© Copyright, The Spoon, 2025
Description
Everything but the Carbon Sink is a thought-provoking podcast that delves into the intersection of food systems, climate change, and innovative financing models necessary to support a growing global population. Hosted by Eva Goulbourne, an experienced strategist in food systems transformation and climate philanthropy, the show explores how agriculture, food waste, and land use contribute to both the problem and the solution to the climate crisis. Each episode highlights forward-thinking solutions, groundbreaking financing strategies, and the key players driving impact at the nexus of food and climate.
17 Episodes
Reverse
Asher Wright, Farm Director at Caney Fork Farms, joins us to explore how regenerative agriculture is being tested—and proven—in real time in rural Tennessee. Backed by Vice President Al Gore and rooted in decades of soil health practice, Caney Fork Farms offers a living model for climate-smart, community-driven food systems.
Asher shares the realities of building a financially viable regenerative farm: from sliding-scale CSA shares and pasture-raised meats to new grain cleaning infrastructure and public-private insurance barriers. We discuss what it takes to scale regeneration—not just in practice, but in economics, labor, and policy.
Peter Bodenheimer, Venture Partner at PeakBridge, joins us to unpack the realities of investing in food tech—from early-stage innovation to growth-stage execution. Drawing on decades of experience across startups, accelerators, and venture capital, he explores what makes food fundamentally different from other investment categories—and why it demands a longer, more strategic view.
We talk about the hidden risks of inflated valuations, the tension between capital and capacity, and why the most scalable solutions are often the least sexy. Peter also shares how PeakBridge is backing B2B innovations that quietly power the food system—and what it really takes to move from novelty to necessity.This is a conversation about timelines, tradeoffs, and why transforming our food system means playing the long game.
Christine Gould, founder of GIGA and Thought For Food, joins us to explore the “missing middle” in food innovation—the critical gap between bold ideas and the capital, partnerships, and infrastructure needed to scale them. She shares how GIGA helps startups, corporations, and investors move beyond “innovation theater” to drive real, systems-level impact.
This is a conversation about rethinking risk, unlocking scale, and building the connective tissue that makes food system transformation possible.
Matthew Aronson, Chief Revenue Officer at Verdant Technologies, joins us to share how extending the life of fresh produce can reduce waste, improve supply chains, and deliver more nourishment to more people. He breaks down the science behind Verdant’s shelf-life-extending innovation, why broccoli ships with ice (and why it shouldn't), and how risk aversion slows food systems progress.
This is a conversation about the real-world challenges of scaling agricultural tech—and the potential to change the way fresh food moves around the world.
Former Washington Governor Jay Inslee shares why food waste reduction is one of the cheapest and most powerful tools we have to fight climate change. He offers a vision of optimism, where state-level leadership, public-private collaboration, and community action can drive real systems change—even in the absence of federal momentum.
Eat Well Global CEO Erin Boyd Kappelhof explains why health and sustainability are no longer separate tracks. From partnering with brands and influencers to supporting companies that are integrating regenerative agriculture and nutrition goals, Erin explores how cross-sector collaboration is shaping the future of food—and what it takes to stay relevant.
Victor Friedberg, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of New Epoch Capital + Founder and Chairman of FoodShot Global, reflects on how food and agriculture investing has evolved—and what’s still missing. From Beyond Meat’s values-driven growth to building systems-level solutions for sustainability-minded consumers, Victor unpacks what it takes to align capital with mission.
ReFED Executive Director Sara Burnett shares why this moment marks a turning point in food waste reduction. With tangible momentum, growing partnerships, and the scaling of the U.S. Food Waste Pact, we’re moving from pilot projects to real impact.
Ida Posner, Founder & Managing Partner of Hawthorne Food Ventures and Strategic Advisor to the Posner Foundation, joins us to explore how venture capital and philanthropy can work in tandem to solve one of the food system’s biggest challenges: food waste.
She shares Hawthorne’s investment thesis and the foundation’s strategy, showing how different forms of capital can unlock scalable solutions across the food loss and waste spectrum.
From farm-level tech to consumer innovations, Ida highlights where progress is accelerating—and why food waste reduction is a powerful lever for climate, health, and economic impact.
Saswati Bora, Global Director of Regenerative Food Systems at The Nature Conservancy, joins us to explore how regenerative agriculture can become a powerful climate and biodiversity solution. They discuss TNC’s global foodscapes strategy, the critical role of philanthropic capital in de-risking regenerative transitions, and why true systems change requires local trust, long timelines, and deep collaboration.
Jessamine Fitzpatrick, Co-Founder & Managing Director of Alder Point Capital Management, unpacks the role of private capital in financing food system transformation. From regenerative ag to sustainable timberland, Jessamine shares how place-based investment can drive impact across climate, water, biodiversity, and rural economies—while delivering strong financial returns.
Sara Farley, Vice President of the Food Initiative at The Rockefeller Foundation, joins us to explore how school meals can be a powerful lever for transforming global food systems. We dive into the Foundation’s bold bet to reach 100 million children with school meals sourced from regenerative agriculture—an ambitious effort to tackle both childhood hunger and climate change in one sweeping move. Sara shares how this vision connects producers and the most vulnerable consumers, why catalytic philanthropy is key to driving systems change, and what it takes to shift to a truly regenerative, equitable food future.
Thomas Crampton — Executive Chair of Crampton-Blackie — joins us to unpack how the right story, told at the right time, can unlock funding and fuel growth for climate and food innovators. We explore why storytelling is one of the most valuable tools for startups — not just for raising capital, but for scaling impact, attracting partners, and shaping the future of sustainable innovation.
Connie Bowen, Founding Partner of Farmhand Ventures — a VC fund building a better future of work in agriculture — joins Eva Goulbourne to unpack the agricultural labor crisis. They explore why there’s no sustainable food future without investing in farmworkers — and how innovation, technology, and funding must center people to build a more just and resilient food system.
Marion Nestle, the most respected nutritionist in America today, renowned author, and pioneer of the first food studies academic program, joins host Eva Goulbourne to expose the powerful forces shaping what we eat—from corporate influence on food policy to the urgent need for government regulation that prioritizes health over profit. She explains why the same diet that supports our well-being also benefits the planet—and how collective action is key to transforming the food system.
Renée Vassilos, Director of Agriculture Innovation at The Nature Conservancy, joins host Eva Goulbourne to explore how regenerative agriculture can deliver climate impact and profitability. From agtech to investment strategies, we unpack what it’ll take to scale solutions across the food system.
Everything but the Carbon Sink - Teaser
Comments
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States